Building Beauty:
The Alchemy of Design

The fourth book from acclaimed designer Michael S Smith is an in-depth look at how to create the perfect American house. Building Beauty: The Alchemy of Design is a rare opportunity to experience in great detail the work of this renowned designer. Michael S Smith transformed an ordinary house and its outbuildings into an extraordinary suite of rooms that display the best of this design superstar’s work. As he walks the reader through its myriad rooms and gardens, explaining each decision made, Smith provides a complete, invaluable up-to-date design vocabulary that every homeowner and design aficionado is keen to know, from the initial renovation plans to the finishing details, indoors and out. Interviews with the architect, Oscar Shamamian, the landscape designer, and various craftsmen help Smith guide the reader through the process of creating a house, and in so doing provides a blueprint for anyone building or renovating their dream home. Richly informative, this is a visually stunning, indispensable guide to designing an unforgettable house, one decision at a time.